Branta leucopsis -- (Bechstein, 1803) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- ANSERIFORMES -- ANATIDAE Common names: Barnacle Goose; European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

In Europe this species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe.

Within the EU27, although this species may have a small range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Belgium; Denmark; Faroe Islands (to DK); Greenland (to DK); Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Iceland; Ireland, Rep. of; Latvia; Netherlands; Norway; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Poland; Russian Federation; Sweden; United Kingdom Vagrant: Austria; Belarus; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Hungary; Italy; Montenegro; Portugal; Romania; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Canary Is. (to ES); Switzerland; Turkey Population The European population is estimated at 196,000-247,000 pairs, which equates to 392,000-494,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 18,700-38,000 pairs, which equates to 37,400-76,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology The species breeds in Arctic semi-desert tundra (fjellmark) (Kear 2005) on crags, rocky outcrops (Carboneras and Kirwan 2013), cliffs, rocky slopes (Johnsgard 1978) and coastal islands (Svalbard) (Kear 2005) near wetlands such as lakes, rivers, marshes, the upper parts of fjords, coastlines (Johnsgard 1978), wet meadows and mudflats (Kear 2005). In years when the snow is slow to melt the species first forages on grassy vegetation on south-facing mountain slopes fertilised by the droppings of cliff-nesting seabirds before moving down to breeding areas (Kear 2005a). During the non-breeding season the species frequents tidal mudflats, saltmarshes and adjacent coastal meadows (Johnsgard 1978), with agricultural fields becoming increasingly more important as winter feeding areas (Scott and Rose 1996). It is present on its breeding grounds from May or June to August or September (Kear 2005) where it breeds in small but often closely packed colonies (Carboneras and Kirwan 2013) of 5-50 pairs, occasionally singly or in groups of up to 150 pairs (Snow and Perrins 1998). It uses the same nesting sites year after year (Johnsgard 1978). The nest is a shallow depression lined with grass, moss, lichen and down, with thick layer of droppings around rim found on cliff ledges or on ground on coastal islands, although Svalbard birds also traditionally nested on cliffs or hillsides in larger valleys. Usually three to five eggs are laid. The species is herbivorous; its diet consisting of the leaves, stems and seed-heads of grasses, sedges, aquatic plants. It may also take agricultural grain and vegetables during the winter (Carboneras and Kirwan 2013). This species is fully migratory and travels on a narrow front (Kear 2005) between extremely localised breeding and wintering areas (Carboneras and Kirwan 2013). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land suitable non-breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable non-breeding Grassland - Tundra major breeding Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline major breeding Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Tidepools major breeding Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats Adults of this species, eggs and down were once exploited by humans (Kear 2005), and the species may be disturbed by shooting even though it is not directly hunted (Peberdy 1991). The species faces possible threats from persecution (disturbance) by farmers as in winter it favours grasslands and pastures used for grazing livestock (Cope et al. 2003). The species also suffers from nest predation by arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) in Svalbard (Madsen et al. 1992). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Past, Unlikely to Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Past Impact (intentional use - Return Declines species is the target) Stresses Species mortality Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact (persecution/ control) Stresses Species disturbance Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown (unintentional effects - species is Stresses not the target) Species disturbance Climate change & Habitat shifting & Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather alteration Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects Invasive and other Arctic Fox (Vulpes Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic lagopus) Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact species, genes & diseases Stresses Species mortality Conservation Conservation Actions Underway Bern Convention Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I. CMS Appendix II. Today the species is fully protected throughout its range (Kear 2005). The Barnacle Goose Management Scheme (BGMS) awards payments to farmers who manage pastures outside of established reserves for reducing the level of disturbance (e.g. scaring away feeding flocks) on their land. Its efforts, integrating conservation and agricultural aims, have succeeded in increasing goose populations around the Solway Firth, U.K. (Cope et al. 2003). The species is also listed on the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

Conservation Actions Proposed The expansion and quality of measures that integrate conservation and agricultural aims, should be expanded and the dedicated reserve network increased (Cope et al. 2003). Research should be undertaken to investigate the impacts of Arctic Fox predation on Svalbard. Bibliography Carboneras, C. and Kirwan, G.M. 2013. Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) (2013). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/52822 on 26 February 2015). Cope, D.R., Pettifor, R.A., Griffin, L.R. and Rowcliffe, J.M. 2003. Integrating farming and wildlife conservation: the Barnacle Goose Management Scheme. Biological Conservation 110: 113-122. Johnsgard, P. A. 1978. Ducks, geese and swans of the World. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London. Kear, J. 2005. Ducks, geese and swans volume 1: general chapters; species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. Madge, S. and Burn, H. 1988. Wildfowl. Christopher Helm, London. Madsen, J., Bregnballe, T. and Hastrup, A. 1992. Impact of the Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus on nesting success of geese in south-east Svalbard, 1989. Polar Research 11(2): 35-39. Peberdy, K. 1991. The use of grazed saltmarsh by Branta leucopsis (barnacle goose) in relation to refuge establishment and management. In: Finlayson, C. M. and Larsson, T. (ed.), Wetland management and restoration, pp. 95-107. Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Solna. Scott, D.A. and Rose, P.M. 1996. Atlas of Anatidae populations in Africa and western Eurasia. Wetlands International, Wageningen, Netherlands. Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Map (see overleaf)